Benazir Bhutto International Airport

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Benazir Bhutto International Airport (Template:Langx, Template:Airport codes) is an airport which formerly served the Islamabad–Rawalpindi metropolitan area. It was the second-largest airport by air traffic in Pakistan, until 1 May 2018 when it was replaced by the new Islamabad International Airport. Also known as Chaklala Airbase, it was renamed after the late Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto (1953–2007) in June 2008.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The airport handled 4,767,860 passengers in 2015–16,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> compared to 3,610,566 in 2010–11.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The airport was located in the area of Chaklala in Rawalpindi, which neighbours Islamabad. Following the establishment of the new Islamabad International Airport, the airport is no longer used for civil aviation (except general aviation) and now forms a part of the adjoining PAF Base Nur Khan (also known as PAF Base Chaklala).

History

A Pakistan International Airlines jet landing at the airport in 2012

In March 2006, Pakistan International Airlines launched a direct flight from Islamabad to Toronto on Boeing 777s.<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In the fiscal year 2008–2009, over 3,136,664 passengers used the Benazir Bhutto International Airport and 34,025 aircraft movements were registered.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The airport served as a hub for the flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines. It was also the hub of Shaheen Air and a focus city of Airblue.

In January 2015, the government launched a Rs. 399 million project to renovate and expand the airport, including the Template:Convert taxi way link adjacent to the lone runway of the airport.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The renovation was completed by March 2015.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The last flight to depart from this airport was PK791, operated by Pakistan International Airlines, heading for Birmingham, UK which departed at 11:39 AM PST marking the end of scheduled commercial flights to the airport.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

New airport

Template:Main A new airport was constructed in Fateh Jang, Attock District, approximately Template:Convert west of the twin cities. It was built to replace the existing Benazir Bhutto International Airport in response to increasing air traffic and passenger load. It is now completed, and has become the first greenfield airport in Pakistan and the first to support the landing of an Airbus A380. Built on an area of 3,289 acres, the project consisted of 90 check-in counters and a parking facility for 2,000 vehicles and will cater to an upward of 10 million people every year in its first phase and up to 25 million in the second phase. The terminal includes 15 gates with ten remote gates, a four-star hotel, duty-free shops, two runways, six taxiways, a food court and 42 immigration counters.

The airport is connected to Islamabad via the Srinagar Highway, and Rawalpindi via the GT Road. In April 2022, the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metrobus was expanded to connect the airport with the metropolitan area. The airport was opened for commercial flight operations on 3 May 2018.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> First mockup flight was piloted by Captain Masood Bijrani and First Officer Hamad Khan from Pakistan International Airlines Corp.

Facilities

Benazir Bhutto International Airport was a civil and military airport which handled VIPs as well as scheduled public operations for many airlines. Foreign diplomats, high level government officials as well as military officials were welcomed at this airport.

The airport was only able to handle eleven wide body aircraft at one time, with an additional five parking places for general aviation aircraft. It could not accommodate large aircraft such as the Airbus A380 or the Boeing 747-8. This airport did not have any air bridges installed, so buses took the passengers from the airport terminal to the aircraft, where air stairs were used.

Current status

Since the airport was built on an airbase, the Pakistan Air Force has taken ownership of the apron and old terminal building of the airfield in a similar fashion to when Lahore's Allama Iqbal International Airport moved its terminals.

The runway is expected to remain in use by the PAF in the near future and VIPs and other dignitaries will continue to use the airbase instead of Islamabad International Airport.

General aviation by private companies is also expected to continue to use this airport instead of the new Islamabad International Airport.

Accidents and incidents

See also

References

Citations

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Bibliography

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